The Garden State is a "very good" place to live, 27 percent of New Jersey voters say, while 51
percent say it's "fairly good;" 14 percent say "fairly bad" and 8 percent say "very bad," in a
Quinnipiac University poll released today.

A total of 79 percent of New Jerseyans say the state is a "very good" or "fairly good"
place for a vacation, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds, and
70 percent say they would recommend a Garden State vacation to out of state family and
friends.

New Jerseyans like sand in their shoes. When asked where they would like to go on
vacation this summer:

50 percent say they most like to go to an ocean beach;

10 percent say they most like the Atlantic City casinos;

9 percent most like the boardwalk;

8 percent each choose lake beaches or sightseeing.

"Sure, we're worried about our politicians and our taxes, but we like living in New Jersey
and we think it's a great place to spend a vacation. Come pay us a visit, we'd be glad to tell our
friends," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"The seashore wins as the favorite vacation spot - with a couple of specialty items, the
boardwalks and the Atlantic City casinos."

Tourism is "very important" to New Jersey's economy, 68 percent of voters say, while 26
percent say it is "somewhat important."

"It's not just for fun. New Jerseyans know that tourism is a big plus for the state's
economy," Carroll said.

For 33 percent of New Jersey voters, relaxing is most important on a vacation, followed by
26 percent who list family activities and 20 percent who like to visit historical places.

From June 10 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,461 New Jersey voters, with a
margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion
surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and nationally as a public
service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on
Twitter.

31. How would you rate New Jersey as a place to live - very good, fairly good,
fairly bad, or very bad?

37. Which of the following is most important for you when you go on vacation -
visiting places of historical and cultural interest, recreational activities,
fine dining, activities for whole family, or relaxing?

TREND: Which of the following is most important for you when you go on
vacation - visiting places of historical and cultural interest, recreational
activities, fine dining, activities for whole family, or relaxing?